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Trade Minister Todd McClay has welcomed the entry into force of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) saying it is a big win for New Zealand exporters.

“The TFA will benefit all New Zealand exporters and is particularly good for small and medium sized enterprises. The TFA reduces the cost, administration and time burden associated with getting products across borders and into the marketplace,” Mr McClay says.

Trade Minister Todd McClay says he is extremely confident New Zealand has a strong case following Indonesia's decision to appeal a World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling in favour of New Zealand beef and horticulture exports and says he expects Indonesia to meet their WTO obligations following the appeal.

New Zealand and the United States brought a case against Indonesia disputing 18 agricultural non-tariff barriers. The WTO ruled in favour of NZ and the US on all 18 disputed point in December last year.

Trade Minister Todd McClay will visit Mexico today to meet his counterpart, Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo and discuss the future of trade between our two countries.

“Mexico is already our largest trading partner in Latin America, and there is huge scope to further advance our economies, boosting trade and investment, and working together more closely in the Asia-Pacific region,” Mr McClay says.

This will be the Government’s first formal contact with Mexico since the United States withdrawal from the TPP agreement.

Trade Minister Todd McClay will visit Japan and Singapore this week to discuss regional trade issues with his ministerial counterparts.

During his visit to Japan, which is the first stop, Mr McClay will meet with the Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization Nobuteru Ishihara.

“Japan is New Zealand’s fifth largest two-way trading partner, a significant source of foreign investment, and a key international partner in our efforts to liberalise trade in the Asia-Pacific region,” Minister McClay says.

Trade Minister Todd McClay today welcomed the inaugural daily flight of Qatar Airways direct Auckland – Doha service at Auckland International Airport saying the world's longest flight was set to boost New Zealand trade and tourism.

“Qatar is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the air link will continue to gain importance when New Zealand concludes a Free Trade Agreement with the GCC,” Mr McClay says.

Trade Minister Todd McClay will travel to Sydney tomorrow to meet with his Australian counterpart, Trade and Investment Minister Steven Ciobo.

The Ministers will discuss bilateral and regional trade issues likely to be of significance for both countries in 2017.

Trade Minister Todd McClay has said that New Zealand’s ongoing and future trade relationship with the United Kingdom is in good shape following agreement on the next steps for the newly established NZ-UK Trade Policy Dialogue.

The progress was made during a meeting between Minister McClay and his UK counterpart, Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Trade Minister Todd McClay has confirmed New Zealand and Sri Lanka will progress discussions on new trade and investment opportunities, which could include a Free Trade Agreement between the two countries.

The announcement comes after a meeting between Mr McClay and Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Trade Minister Todd McClay will visit the State of Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to press for a conclusion to the free trade negotiations between New Zealand and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

During his visit to the Middle East, which begins tomorrow, Mr McClay will meet bilaterally with ministerial counterparts and business leaders, including the UAE Minister of Economy, Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoor and Kuwaiti Minister of Commerce, Khalid Nasser Al Roudhan.

More local businesses looking to expand into Korea will benefit from the latest round of tariff reductions under the New Zealand-Korea Free Trade Agreement, Trade Minister Todd McClay says.

The start of 2017 saw two thirds of New Zealand’s exports to Korea become duty free, up from 46 per cent in 2016.

“Thanks to this continued progress under the FTA, even more New Zealand businesses can compete favourably in the Korean market,” Mr McClay says.

Trade Minister Todd McClay today welcomed the World Trade Organization's (WTO) decision upholding New Zealand's challenge to 18 agricultural non-tariff barriers imposed by Indonesia.

New Zealand and the United States jointly brought the case against Indonesia in 2013 over a range of barriers imposed on agricultural imports since 2011. These included import prohibitions, use and sale restrictions, restrictive licence terms and a domestic purchase requirement.

Trade Minister Todd McClay says Japan’s passing of TPP legislation demonstrates their support for international trade liberalisation.

“It’s good to see the world’s 3rd largest economy join New Zealand and show leadership on trade,” says Mr McClay.

With the Upper House endorsement on Friday (9 December), Japan has now completed its parliamentary process for the approval of the TPP Agreement. This follows New Zealand’s passage of the primary legislation necessary to ratify the agreement on 15 November.

Trade Minister Todd McClay will meet Brunei’s Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade tomorrow.

The Minister, Pehin Lim Jock Seng is visiting New Zealand along with Brunei’s Industry Minister, Pehin Yasmin Umar.

“Brunei is a good friend of New Zealand, working cooperatively with us within ASEAN and beyond,” says Mr McClay.

“Brunei and New Zealand cooperate in trade, defence, and education – and Brunei is also a strong supporter of trade liberalisation.

Trade Minister Todd McClay says New Zealand education institutions stand to benefit following the signing of an education cooperation agreement in Iran today.

Mr McClay is leading New Zealand's first Trade Mission to Iran in more than a decade, and believes the visit has strengthened the New Zealand-Iran relationship following bilateral talks in Tehran.

Trade Minister Todd McClay leads a senior-level business delegation on New Zealand’s first trade mission to Tehran in twelve years, today. 

Iran and New Zealand have a long-standing trade relationship, dating back to 1975 when New Zealand established an Embassy in Tehran, its first in the Middle East.

“There is enormous opportunity for Iran and New Zealand to work together to boost two-way trade,” says Mr McClay.

Trade Minister Todd McClay today published a summary of what New Zealand businesses think about Brexit and the impact they believe it could have on trade with the United Kingdom – New Zealand’s fifth largest trading partner.

This follows a public consultation held earlier in the year to better understand the position of New Zealand exporters and investors into the UK market.

The New Zealand economy is doing extremely well, because of trade liberalisation, not in spite of it. We are one of the most open economies in the world.

Our economic performance is the envy of many countries, certainly our closest neighbour and largest trading partner Australia and many EU member states.

GDP growth this year was 3.6 per cent and is forecast to remain between 3 and 3.5 per cent for a number of years to come.

Trade Minister Todd McClay has welcomed the release of two studies which shed new light on the cost and impact of unnecessary red tape and arbitrary trade rules on New Zealand’s exports.

“Technically referred to as non-tariff barriers, these unfair obstacles are costing New Zealand businesses US$5.9 billion every year,” says Mr McClay.

Italian Deputy Minister for Economic Development, Ivan Scalfarotto and New Zealand Minister of Trade, Todd McClay, have jointly hosted a business event in Milan today committing to doubling two-way trade between the two countries.  

Mr McClay is on a trade promotion visit to Europe and today joined his Italian counterpart at a Business Roundtable with 30 New Zealand and Italian businesses.

Trade Minister Todd McClay and opposition MPs will travel to Europe and Iran over the next week to take part in a number of trade-related events.  
 
Mr McClay says New Zealand needs to engage more broadly in trade-related activities in Europe and this mission would offer a valuable opportunity to promote New Zealand goods and services in these lucrative markets.  

"Italy, France and the United Kingdom are collectively worth more than $9.2 billion of two-way trade and are home to 190 million consumers.  That is significant.

Trade Minister Todd McClay has welcomed strong export growth to Korea during the first year of the New Zealand-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

“There is no doubt this agreement has created jobs and prosperity in our regions,” says Mr McClay.

At an event to mark the upcoming one-year anniversary of the FTA, Mr McClay told members of the Korean and New Zealand business community that New Zealand exporters are enjoying the benefits of preferential tariff access to the Republic of Korea.

Trade Minister Todd McClay and Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed met at APEC in Lima today to conclude the first General Review of the Malaysia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (MNZFTA).

The FTA entered into force on 1 August 2010.

“The strong trade and investment flows between the two economies are underpinned by a close and cooperative working relationship,” says Mr McClay.

Trade Minister Todd McClay travels to Peru today to attend the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial Meeting in Lima where he expects to hold talks on RCEP, FTAAP and TPP.

Mr McClay will join trade and foreign ministers from 20 other APEC economies which account for half of global trade and 60 per cent of world GDP.

Trade Minister Todd McClay has welcomed the third reading of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement Amendment Bill in Parliament today.

The passage of this Bill is a significant step towards New Zealand ratifying the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).